When most travellers consider a trip to LA – it’s all about bright lights, world class shopping, celebrities and Hollywood – but did you know that there is a whole new side to the City of Angels? (And we’re not talking about East Side – West Side!) Los Angeles is well known for many ground breaking cultural innovations, inspiring major literary pieces and works of art, being home to outstanding architectural achievements and offering a number of unique experiences for the nature lover. Discover a whole new side to Los Angeles.
Bookworm heaven
Pic by chillihead
If you’re a literary buff – LA is certainly drool-worthy having inspired some of the greatest works of fiction in history including the likes of Raymond Chandler, Evelyn Waugh and James Ellroy. In true Los Angeles fashion, there are a number of literary tours that take you through some of the most noteworthy landmarks in the area that were frequented by your favourite writers.
*Spend some time at the LA Central Library – not only is it one of LA’s greatest architectural achievements, but a young Charles Bukowski spent many of his days holed up in its Central Reading Room.
Adventure traveller’s dream come true
Come to LA at the right time of year and you can surf in the morning and snowboard in the afternoon! There are plenty of great natural landscapes to explore during the time you spend in the area. Partaking in ocean sports and hiking the nearby mountainous terrain are some of the favourite pastimes enjoyed by the locals and many visitors will revel in the spectacular scenery of Malibu Creek State Park, the Santa Monica mountains and of course endless stretches of postcard perfect beaches.
*For those who are so inclined, spend your morning surfing and then hire a car and head to Big Bear, a few hours’ drive outside the city that offers the best skiing conditions in Southern California through the winter months of Nov. – Feb.
Around the Food World in a Day
Pic by VirtualErn
When it comes to cultural hot spots, LA has a diverse gathering of communities and cultures from all corners of the globe – which is a haven for gastronomists and food lovers. In addition to countless Mexican restaurants, there is a large sampling of Asian inspired cuisine due to the city’s close proximity to the Pacific. Forget going round the world, there are plenty of local food tours to satisfy your palette – including the LA dumpling tour or a visit through Thai Town or Little Tokyo.
Qantas operates cheap flights to Sydney from Los Angeles and back. Los Angeles is a great starting point for those looking to travel through the rest of the States or if they’re looking to make the most of their Hawaii holidays.
What side of LA do you want to see?
Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored post.
I lived in LA for 6 years. The one thing that I do miss about it is that you can hit the beach and the slopes in the same day.
thanks fo dropping by Nick. living near the beach is like having an almost perfect life for me hehe… good thing there are many beaches here in the Philippines too…
While I live in the East Coast, I visit my sister who lives half an hour away from LAX on occasions. The biggest Pinoy presence is there so no wonder they have an enclave called "Historic Filipinotown" (just as there's Korea Town, Thai Town, China Town).